NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Trajan Langdon as the team’s General Manager, it was announced today by Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin.
“From the moment I met with Mrs. Benson and her team, it became clear that her commitment to the success of our franchise is absolute,” said Griffin. “This is one more very clear sign of that commitment. Trajan is a tremendous talent and shares in our vision of what it means to be a part of the Pelican family, on and off the floor. We are excited to add he and his family to our leadership group as we continue building upon that vision.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Trajan and his family to the New Orleans Pelicans,” said Pelicans Owner Gayle Benson. “Our priority is to build the best basketball team both on and off the court. This is another positive step that puts our organization in position to be successful.”
Langdon joins the Pelicans after serving as assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets since March 8, 2016. Langdon, who also served as general manager of the Brooklyn Nets’ NBA G League affiliate – the Long Island Nets – the last three seasons, was recently named the 2018-19 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year after Long Island tied for the NBA G League’s best record (34-16), earning the franchise’s first postseason berth as the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, and advanced to the 2019 NBA G League Finals.
Prior to being named assistant general manager for the Nets, he spent one year as director of player administration and basketball operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he worked under Griffin on basketball operations and front office matters. Langdon began his front office career with the San Antonio Spurs, serving as a pro scout from 2012-15, and was a member of the team’s front office during their 2013-14 championship season.
A first round pick (11th overall) of the Cavaliers in 1999, Langdon played three seasons with Cleveland, where he totaled 119 games, and became the first Alaskan to play in the NBA. Following his stint in the NBA, Langdon played nine seasons overseas in Russia, Turkey and Italy. His best years came with CSKA Moscow, where he was a two-time Euroleague champion (2006, 2008), Euroleague Final Four MVP (2008), two-time All-Euroleague First Team selection (2007, 2008) and All-Euroleague Second Team selection (2006). He was also named to the Euroleague 2001-10 All-Decade Team.
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Langdon played collegiately at Duke where he left as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made and was a First-Team All-ACC selection (1997-99) and consensus Second-Team All-American (1999). After graduating from Duke with degrees in mathematics and history, he played on the USA Basketball National Team in the 1998 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal.
